Friends Indeed, or Dominion Redux
by kehwie
Summary: The IOA doesn't trust Vala, and she's been down this road before-if only in her mind. She figures she knows exactly how things will play out. But this time it's real, and her team doesn't stand idly by. She learns the truth of the Tau'ri expression: "A friend in need is a friend indeed." Some D/V ship, but lots of teamy goodness as well.
1. Prologue

A/N: This my first multi-chapter story with any sort of plot, so I'm definitely interested in feedback. Also, I haven't seen any of _Stargate Universe_, so if anything here completely contradicts that I apologize. Feel free to label this AU if you need to. As always, a million thank yous to the incredible AerynB. She is the best beta in all of the known galaxies, and she went above and beyond the call of duty for this one. Much love and many hugs to you, sweetie!

Spoilers for the episode "Dominion," obviously. Also minor spoilers for Big Finish Audio's "Half Life" trilogy.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Stargate SG-1_ or its characters. I make no profit from this story.

**Prologue**

She crept through the hallways as quietly as she could. She knew she would only get one shot at this, and she needed that one shot to work. She inched forward a bit more...then felt a hand clamp down on her arm. She swore silently to herself.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Daniel hissed in her ear.

Vala lifted her chin proudly. "What does it look like?"

He sighed. "It looks like you're running away. But I'm hoping that's not it."

She glared at him. "I don't have a whole lot of options left, Daniel! The IOA has already confined me to the base. How long before it's a cell? It's just like that implanted memory; they don't trust me!"

"Look, I know they're being assholes about this whole thing, but we'll get through it. We're gonna find out who the real mole is. And it's _nothing_ like your implanted memory."

"Oh? And why's that?" Vala huffed.

"Because in the memory, we all went along with it," Daniel said simply. "We aren't doing that, I promise you. We're all on your side, and we're working our asses off to figure this thing out. Just trust us, okay?"

A small smile flickered across her face. "Well, at least you said trust _us_ rather than trust _me._ Much more convincing argument, darling."

"Yeah, I figured it might be," Daniel returned dryly. He tugged her arm gently. "C'mon, I'll walk you back to your quarters. I promise we're gonna solve this thing; just give us time, okay?"

"I'll try," she murmured, knowing that if push came to shove—if the IOA started talking holding cells or Area 51—she would take matters into her own hands just as she'd always done. For now, though, she'd give her teammates a chance. Maybe they really would come through.


	2. Chapter 1

See Prologue for notes and disclaimers

**Chapter One**

_One week previous_

"People, we have a problem," General Landry announced. "The Lucian Alliance has known our every move lately. We haven't been able to say boo to a gnat off-world without it all going to hell when they show up. They've intercepted a lot of Ancient technology and cost us a few treaties. The IOA is breathing down my neck wanting answers. It's obvious they have some sort of insider source, and it's making the powers that be in Washington pretty damn nervous."

"Are we sure the source is someone within the SGC, sir?" Cam asked, his expression one of grave concern.

"At first we weren't, but we've planted a few false mission plans around, and those have been leaked to the Alliance as well," Landry responded grimly. "I don't have to tell you how serious that is."

"Are there any leads as to who the traitor might be?" Teal'c asked solemnly.

The general sighed. "Unfortunately, yes." He met their gazes with a pained look of his own. "The one person who has known _all_ of the intel that the Alliance has gotten wind of is...you, Vala."

Vala almost fell off her chair. "Me? Why in the worlds would I be giving information to the Alliance?"

"Sir, you can't possibly believe-" Cameron began.

Landry raised a hand. "I don't believe it. In my mind, you've proven yourself plenty of times, and you're on our side. I trust you. The IOA, however..."

Of course. The IOA. Vala closed her eyes in despair as a horrible feeling of deja vu washed over her. Suddenly she knew how this would all play out. She'd been down this road before—if only in her mind. The IOA would blame her for the missions gone wrong, for the people they'd lost. They would try to lock her up, either here at the base or at Area 51. And once that happened, how would she ever clear her name?

It all progressed pretty much as Vala predicted. She was pulled from off-world travel. Her movements on base were restricted. She had been plotting her escape, ready to take on the Alliance herself if that was what it took, when Daniel caught her. So now here she was, sitting alone in her room and wondering if he could make good on his promise to sort the whole thing out.

_Three days later_

Things went from bad to worse. SG-1 (sans Vala) went on a recon mission. They wanted to find out who the Lucian Alliance contact was for the SGC spy. They were successful. Unfortunately, it made Vala look all the more suspicious, for it was her former fiance Mahlon. Great. Just great.

"What's he doing mixed up with the Alliance?" she raged at Daniel. "He was an innocent little boy!"

Daniel sighed. "That was a long time ago, Vala. People change."

She sank onto the bed. "He can't possibly have changed that much," she muttered.

But she knew full well that he could have. After all, hadn't she?

When an Ancient artifact brought back by SG-11 disappeared from Daniel's office, it was the final nail in Vala's coffin as far as the IOA was concerned. She sat in a holding cell, knowing that within a matter of hours someone would be coming to move her to Area 51.

She would not let that happen.

Jack O'Neill, gods bless him, was working tirelessly on her behalf, trying to delay the transfer, trying to change their minds. But it was to no avail. Not even General O'Neill could postpone the inevitable—she'd been tried and convicted in the minds of the committee.

At least it was different from last time—the fake last time. Cameron and General Landry had been arguing with IOA reps on a regular basis, never backing down in their defense of her. Sam was using the _Hammond_ to try to track down the true source of the leak even though that wasn't her official mission. Teal'c was off-world, seeing if his fellow Jaffa could learn anything. After so many years of having only fair-weather acquaintances, Vala still had a hard time adjusting to the concept of true friends.

It made the fact that she was going to have to leave all the more painful. She just needed Daniel to get out of the way so she could get on with it.

Vala could hear him staunchly defending her on his cell phone, just outside her door. Truth be told, it was rather heart-warming. "Dammit, Jack! I don't care what evidence they think they have! She didn't do this! No, I am _not_ too close to the situation! Neither are Sam, Mitchell, and Teal'c! No, you have to stop them!" He huffed. "Well, delay them then! We're running out of options here!" There was a lengthy pause. "Yeah, okay, that'll work. You do that. I'll be in touch."

He barged into the cell. "Okay, talk to me. Quickly. What's your plan for getting out of here? Because we need to do it now. Jack can't keep the wolves at bay any longer."

She stared at him in mute shock for a moment. "Well, first of all, you can't be here when I make my getaway, and second, I'm not telling you! If they were to get to you before I was completely in the clear, it would be better if you truly didn't know anything!"

"You misunderstand me," Daniel said grimly. "I'm not walking out of here so that you can go do whatever you've got up your sleeve and slip away. I'm coming with you."

"_What?_ Daniel, no! You can't do that!"

"I can, and I will. Once we're away, we'll rendezvous with Sam and Teal'c off-world. Mitchell will join us as soon as he can, although once we've escaped he'll have a trickier time getting out—it might take him awhile. Now, what is the plan? We're on kind of a tight schedule here."

She rolled her eyes. "Look, darling, I appreciate the thought, but it'll be easier for me to escape if I'm going solo. And it will be easier for both you _and_ Cameron if you just wait and go with him."

"Not a chance," Daniel said tersely. "I'm not letting you go alone."

"Daniel, I've been alone for most of my life. It's not a big deal. I can handle it," she retorted.

"I don't _want_ you to handle it," he snapped. "Now. Talk."

She sighed, knowing how hard it was to change Daniel's mind once he'd made it up. The man was so stubborn! Still, that warm glow filled her again at his adamant refusal to leave her to own devices.

It was so much messier trying to escape with two rather than going it alone. She didn't want to think about what might happen if they both got caught. She contemplated giving him false information and then taking off on her own. Surely that would be better for him, wouldn't it? Safer?

But looking into those intense blue eyes, she couldn't do it. It had been a long time since she'd lied to him—_really_ lied—and now she couldn't stomach it. Maybe she was selfish, but she liked the idea of them running away together. She liked knowing that this time really was different from her memories, that she wasn't on her own.

Speaking of her memories..."Well, in the interest of not reinventing the tire—"

"Wheel," Daniel corrected automatically.

"Whatever," Vala dismissed with a shrug, "I was planning a similar escape to my implanted memory—break out of here, get into storage, and steal a Sodan cloak. Then I just sneak through the gate with one of the other teams and go wherever once I'm off-world. But if you're going to insist on coming, I won't expose you to the radiation risks." She ignored his glare. "So we need a Plan B."

"No, we don't. Nor do we have time to come up with one. Now, do you have an idea of where we're headed? I need to get that info to Jack, who'll pass it along to Sam. She'll pick us up. And then we figure this whole mess out together."

Still worried, she proposed another idea. "What about something similar to how I broke your clone out? I set off hazard alarms as a distraction, hack into the computer system, and we just _go_?"

"Too risky. Especially since that's an escape you've _actually_ pulled and not just a fake memory. They've increased the security protocols since then. Quit arguing. Let's just do this."

Grumbling to herself, she stood up. "Fine, fine. Tell Jack we're going 'someplace remote and tropical.'"

Daniel's tense expression softened for a moment as he grinned and began texting. Then he handed Vala his laptop. "Here, can you hack the security feed? We need the cameras on a feedback loop or something while we're roaming the halls."

She got to work. A few minutes later, she shut down the computer. "Done."

Surreptitiously, the two slipped from the cell, zats at the ready. If they could just make it to the storage room, they were in the clear. The Sodan cloaks would protect them from there. But the trek from the cell to storage was going to be tricky. Vala hardly dared to breathe.

It took zatting a couple of security guards in the hallways, but they made it to the storage room. Vala couldn't remember ever being so nervous picking a lock. It made the job go more slowly than she would have liked, but finally she got it opened. Thanks to the false memory, she found the devices quickly.

Then it was just a matter of grabbing supplies and waiting in the gate room until SG-3 went through the gate. Thankfully the wait was short. They went through the wormhole hand in hand. They waited a few minutes for Reynolds and his team to leave the vicinity before dialing out. They gated to a random planet and turned off the cloaks, then gated one more time to cover their tracks before heading to their final rendezvous point. Vala surveyed the beach of the uninhabited planet, trying to catch her breath and slow her pulse. Daniel touched her cheek. "Hey, you okay?"

She forced a smile. "I'm fine." But she began fretting again. "What if the IOA gets a hold of Jack's phone? They'll know to come here. They could get people here via Stargate faster than Samantha can reach us with the _Hammond._"

Daniel sighed. "I wish you'd trust us, Vala. Jack isn't stupid, and he won't let himself get caught. The IOA will assume this escape means you're guilty and that I'm abetting, but they won't know anything beyond that. And...they probably won't care. With you out of the SGC, the problem is solved from their point of view. You can't leak information anymore. They won't be happy about the knowledge you have of Earth and its defenses, but they'll just change security measures and figure it's fine. Or at least fine enough."

"And they won't lock up Cameron?" Vala worried. "I don't want them to think he's somehow involved."

"Mitchell will be fine," Daniel assured her. "He'll make appropriate noises of shock and disbelief, and he'll pretend to look for new team members. Then he'll get the hell out of Dodge and join us at his first opportunity. It's going to work out, I promise."

Vala nodded jerkily, but Daniel could tell she wasn't really convinced. He cupped her face gently. "Hey. Talk to me. What's really going on?"

Vala bit her lip, then sighed. "Who hates me this much, Daniel? I mean, I understand Mahlon wanting to set me up. But who at the SGC could possibly want to do this to me?"

Blue eyes gazed into hers. "Maybe no one," he said softly. "Whoever it is may have hooked up with the Alliance for reasons of his own. You were just a convenient scapegoat."

She wrinkled her nose. "A _goat?_ You're comparing me to a goat?"

He grinned at that. "No, sorry, it's just an expression. Comes from the ancient Israelite practice of symbolically placing all the sins of the people onto a goat and driving it outside the camp..."

"That makes absolutely zero sense," Vala interrupted. "What is even the point of that?"

Daniel shrugged. "It was an important part of their religious belief system at the time. Now the phrase is more used when someone is set up to take the fall for someone else's actions. Like you've been."

She nodded morosely. Unable to control her nerves, she began chattering again. "How long do you think it will take Muscles and Cameron to get here?"

Another shrug. "Dunno. Teal'c was going to wait for Mitchell before he came. And Mitchell can't just bail while on a mission; he's hoping that if he makes nice for a few days, acting like he's searching for a new team, he can get clearance to go to the Alpha Site. He can bolt from there. Alternately, Teal'c thought about trying to get the Jaffa to request his presence for something. Honestly, though, either's a bit iffy. It's going to be a few days, minimum." He gave her a quick, one-armed hug. "Try to relax. Enjoy your favorite getaway locale." He grinned. "I'll even promise not to be a pain in your ass about being on vacation this time."

That made her giggle. "You _were_ rather wretched last time, darling. No fun whatsoever."

He made a face. "Yeah. Sorry."

She managed a flirtatious smirk. "You could make it up to me now if you like."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Okay, you're back to normal. Let's go get settled in."

She pouted but followed him to a nearby area where they could set up camp. As they worked in silence, she gazed out over the ocean. This planet was her own personal Xanadu. But this time, it just wasn't working its magic. The situation was eating at her. Her teammates were going AWOL on her behalf (okay, so Daniel and Teal'c weren't military and therefore couldn't be AWOL, but the effect was the same). They were all risking their careers for her. She wasn't sure why that bothered her so much. They risked their lives for each other on almost a daily basis. Somehow, though...this meant more, seemed more real.

It terrified her. Vala Mal Doran, always so fearless, so cocky, so willing to laugh at danger and take on the odds, was _terrified_ of her friends' willingness to risk everything for her.

After setting up the camp, there wasn't much they could do until the others arrived. Vala found herself with entirely too much time to brood.

She had always loved this planet. She had often come here to recuperate from a job gone bad or simply to regain her bearings. She had spent weeks here after the Tok'ra had removed Qetesh. The time here not only healed her body from the beatings she'd endured but also her mind and emotions. It had been the first time she'd been alone in years.

Now she sat watching the waves as they crashed on the beach. But this lovely, lonely place wasn't working its magic this time. Worry gnawed at her gut, and for once she couldn't force her troubles to roll away with the tide.

So for seven long days, she worried. No matter how many times Daniel tried to reassure her that Teal'c and Mitchell would come as soon as they could, that Sam was on the way, that everything would work out just fine, she couldn't seem to relax. This planet had always brought her a measure of peace, but now that tranquility was nowhere to be found.

Early in the morning on the eighth day, Mitchell and Teal'c stepped through the gate. Vala wasn't sure she'd ever been so happy to see anyone.

"Well, haven't you two just found the perfect vacation spot?" Cam drawled. "If you're selling time shares, I'm definitely buying."

Vala didn't answer; she'd already hurled herself at Teal'c, flinging her arms and legs around him. He caught her easily and held her as she buried her face in his broad shoulder.

Finally, Teal'c set her back on the ground, and she turned to hug Cam just as fiercely. The colonel seemed rather taken aback. "Whoa, easy there, princess. We're okay. No need to get all emotional." Vala released him and nodded. He patted her back awkwardly. "Don't worry so much, huh? Everything's gonna be all right."

Daniel joined the group. His eyes met Cam's. "What's the word at the SGC?"

Cam sighed. "About what you'd expect. The IOA is having hissy fits over the escape y'all pulled. They've declared neither of you will have a job with the Stargate program again and promised to arrest you on sight. All off-world teams have standing orders to use any means necessary to bring you back if they run across you."

Vala chewed her lip. Her stomach churned. This was awful. She should have followed her first instinct and escaped on her own, leaving Daniel out of it. She should have protected him.

"Stop it," the man in question said sharply, seeming to read her mind. "I chose to come with you, and I knew the likely consequences. Once we straighten all this out and find the real culprit, they'll probably fall all over themselves to apologize and reinstate us. But no matter what, it was my decision, got it?"

She nodded jerkily but her expression remained tense. Cam eyed her with concern for a moment before continuing. "I made all kinds of noise about how I'd been so sure of your innocence and now you'd sneaked off like a thief. I ranted about you hoodwinking Jackson into going with you. They bought it and gave me a fat stack of files to start finding a new team. I pretended to start interviews. Then the big guy sent word that the Jaffa had some special ceremony he would like for me to attend. He also said we'd discuss the whole new team members business. So the general granted permission, and here we are." He shrugged.

"We've probably got a few days yet before Sam can make it," Daniel said. "I figure we can use the time to put our heads together and at least start brainstorming who might be behind this on the SGC end."

"I would assume it must be someone in a position of much power," Teal'c theorized. "This spy appears to have access to much detailed information. Underlings do not possess such access."

"Actually, I think it's the opposite," Vala said suddenly. All eyes turned to her, one sporting a raised eyebrow to boot. "I know the SGC has security procedures and protocols in ridiculous quantities. But really, how careful do you think people are when the janitor comes through? Do you think conversations stop in front of a commissary cook? The truth of the matter is, the 'less important' a person is, the easier it is to ignore him. I learned a long time ago how to make myself pretty much invisible. I would bet that whoever the spy is has done the same. It's someone no one notices anymore."

Daniel expelled a noisy breath. "You could be right. But that's going to be damn near impossible to nail down."

She nodded solemnly. "I know. But that's how you create an effective spy. It's _supposed_ to be impossible."

Cam rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, so we're either lookin' way up on the totem pole or way down. But no matter who it is, they're gonna have covered their tracks pretty well."

"No matter who the traitor is, they must have some way to communicate with Mahlon even though he is off-world. Perhaps once Colonel Carter arrives with the _Hammond_ our plan should be to try to discover that means of communication," Teal'c suggested. "Finding it may lead us to our spy."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. If anyone could figure out a way to track that sort of thing it would be Sam. And it gives us a starting point."

For the first time since the whole sordid mess had begun, the queasy knot in Vala's stomach started to ease. She smiled in relief. "A starting point sounds good."


	3. Chapter 2

See Prologue for notes and disclaimers.

**Chapter Two**

Sam finally arrived with the _Hammond. _More used to Vala's effusive hugs, Sam simply laughed a little and hugged her back. Then SG-1 settled down to business. "General O'Neill's told me what he could, but since we're trying to keep my involvement a secret, it's not much. Fill me in," the colonel requested.

Teal'c, in succinct Teal'c style, summarized recent events and the possibilities they had discussed among themselves thus far. Sam listened intently. When Teal'c shared their idea of tracking down the communication device, Sam nodded slowly. "Probably our best bet. Still, I'm sure it's going to be cloaked or hidden somehow and possibly a technology we're not familiar with. I'll need some time, and even then there are no guarantees."

"I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out," Daniel assured her.

Sam looked thoughtfully at Vala. "So you're thinking someone lowly and invisible is the spy?" At Vala's nod, Sam continued, "It does make a certain amount of sense. But how would they have been approached? There has to be some initial contact, and that isn't something easy to arrange if you're a custodian or whatever."

"That is rather problematic," Vala admitted. "Perhaps we are looking at more than one spy. A higher-up to get the ball spinning, and the underling to eavesdrop efficiently."

No one bothered to correct her mangled idiom this time. A heaviness settled upon the group as they pondered the idea that there might be more than one traitor.

Finally Cam slapped the table. "All righty, then. Sittin' here moping isn't doing us any good. Let's get on it."

Murmurs of agreement accompanied the sound of chairs scraping back, and one by one they left to get to work. Sam gave Vala another quick hug. "We're gonna solve this thing," she whispered in her friend's ear. "One way or another, we are _going_ to figure this out." Vala almost wept in gratitude as she returned Sam's embrace.

She left the room with Daniel, who stopped her once they were alone in a corridor. "Hey, you doing all right?"

She nodded but didn't meet his eyes. He tilted her chin so he could see her face. "Hey. Talk to me."

To her unending horror, she began blubbering. "Oh, Daniel. This is all such a mess. Cameron's probably already AWOL by now. Sam's risking it. I've cost you your job. And...I _know _it wasn't real. I do. But I still have those memories of you all not believing me, of you leaving me in that cell for the IOA to come take me. And I can't...I don't..." She broke down completely.

Daniel pulled her into his arms and let her sob on his shoulder. He rocked back and forth slightly and made soothing noises. Finally the tears abated, and she looked up. "I'm sorry, Daniel, I-"

He interrupted her. "Don't apologize, Vala. I understand. In a way, I'm kind of glad this happened. Yeah, it's a mess, and it's gonna be hell trying to straighten it all out. But we _will_ straighten it out. And you'll have new memories—_real_ memories—of us standing by you. We won't leave you behind, Vala. I hope you know that now."

She sniffled. "But I don't want you all risking everything for me," she said in a small voice.

Daniel pinned her with a look. "Get used to it, Vala. That's how this team works. This is what we do for each other. And you _are_ part of the team."

She'd known that before, on some level. Now, though, with Daniel having sneaked off base with her, Sam off trying to perform yet another miracle of science, Teal'c remaining as steadfast and loyal as always, and Cameron risking his entire military career, she _felt _it. Deep in her bones, she knew she belonged with these people. Their friendship and loyalty weren't just because her insider knowledge of Adria or the Ori or the Lucian Alliance. They were _real_.

Daniel could see the moment the truth dawned on her, and he smiled. She returned the smile hesitantly, but he knew that it was genuine. A real Vala smile always did make him somewhat weak in the knees. He nudged her foot and started down the hallway. "Come on, let's go find something to eat."

She beamed at that. "Sounds lovely, darling. I am a bit tired of protein bars and MREs and fish."

"Me too," he agreed. He grinned at her. "I know I promised not to gripe, but seriously, what _did _you eat during your lengthy stays there?"

Vala shrugged. "Farther back from the spring we used for water is a grove of tropical fruit. There are quite a few varieties, and they're pretty sweet. That and the fish kept me pretty well sustained during previous visits. I wasn't at a place in my life where I could afford to be picky about food."

Daniel mock-glared at her. "And you didn't see fit to share the knowledge of these fruit trees with the rest of us? Thanks a lot."

She giggled. "I can't reveal _all_ of my secrets, Daniel. But truthfully, I checked the grove one night, and we were apparently there during the wrong season. Not much was ripe. I did snag a little of what was though, in case we needed it. It's in my pack. I'll share with you, if you like. There's one that sort of resembles Earth's mangoes—I think you'll like it."

"Sounds good," he agreed. "Let's grab something more substantial first then have that for dessert."

Feeling more like herself than she had in weeks, Vala shot him a flirtatious grin. "Are you sure _that's_ what you want for dessert, darling? I have some other things in mind..."

Daniel rolled his eyes and continued to lead her toward the ship's galley, but truth be told he was relieved that Vala was back to her old tricks. She'd been far too quiet and withdrawn since this whole mess started. He never thought he'd miss her incessant innuendo, but he had. He never thought he'd be glad to see its return, but he was. Anything that indicated his space pirate was starting to pull herself together and cease her nonstop worrying was a good thing.

Whoa, wait a minute. _His_ space pirate?

But watching her as she ate and chatted much like her old self, he knew it was true. She'd always been his; he'd always been hers. He was tired of denying it, tired of fighting it. He'd never been terribly successful in his attempts anyway. Now probably wasn't the best time, but maybe once this was all over he could actually do something about it.

He'd missed whatever she said last, but her eyes were sparkling again, so he decided it didn't matter. When she suggested that after their dessert they go check in with the others, the hope and trust in her expression were so strong they nearly took his breath away. _This_ was his formerly prickly, suspicious thief?

"_He can't possibly have changed that much!"_ she had railed at him about her fiance. But Daniel had proof of just how much a person could change sitting right here in front of him. He smiled at her. "Sounds like a plan. Let's go."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Vala leaned back in her chair and propped her feet up on the table as she sipped a rather abysmal local cocktail. Her expression bored, she let her eyes roam around the room. Over the years, she had perfected her barroom act, but it had been quite some time since she'd had to use the skill.

Sam was still trying to work her wizardry to track the communication stream. In the meantime, Vala was on a planet known for its Alliance loyalties, hoping to glean information. It was a risky maneuver—she still had a price on her head as far as the Alliance was concerned—but she figured it was worth the risk. Her supposedly easily bought loyalties were well-known, and she figured she could use that to her advantage. Plus the Alliance had to figure that once they set her up, she wouldn't be staying on Earth long. No one would be surprised to find her here, and she knew the part she had to play.

The hardest part had been convincing Daniel. He had nearly exploded when he learned she planned to come here alone. "Absolutely not!" he'd shouted. "What on Earth would make you think we'd let you do that on your own? I'm coming with you!"

"No, you're not," she'd answered firmly. "Daniel, you have a price on your head; have you forgotten?"

"I seem to recall that you do as well," he retorted. "Have _you_ forgotten?"

"No, but I can work around it. I've been accused of betrayal. My loyalties have always been up for grabs anyway, and I can easily persuade a low-level Alliance lackey that I've cut all ties with Earth and can once again be bought. _No one_ will believe that of you or Cameron or Teal'c. Your presence anywhere nearby would ruin _everything." _

Daniel wouldn't back down, and they'd argued back and forth for so long that Sam had finally stepped in. She offered to send two of her crew down with Vala. They would be unknown to the Alliance and could keep watch from a distance. Daniel fumed but acquiesced. Vala knew that somewhere in the bar were Major Styles and Lieutenant Franklin. She hoped they could blend in as well as Samantha believed, or this would end badly. She'd really rather be on her own. Damn overprotective archeologist.

Still, that warm glow was back as she took another healthy gulp of her wretched drink.

A figure dropped into the chair in front of her. She inclined her head. "Seton," she acknowledged.

A smile flickered across his face. "You remember me. I'm touched."

She shrugged. "I rarely forget someone who proves useful; you know that."

"Indeed I do. Neither do I, and you often proved useful to me. I can't say others share the same long memory though. You took a great chance coming here, Vala."

"Yes, well, I don't have a great many options left," she said indifferently. "The Tau'ri think me a traitor. They were going to imprison me, so I escaped. I am no longer welcome in their ranks, so I must move on. You know me, Seton; I was always good at facing reality when a job went bad and pulling myself together to move on to the next."

"Yes, you were," Seton agreed. "I assumed that was why you were here. I had heard you betrayed your Tau'ri friends. It's making the rounds in Alliance circles. Some think it a ruse; others aren't terribly surprised."

"Well, then both are correct," Vala said flippantly. "I didn't actually betray the Tau'ri, but since they believe I did, the end result is the same. I am once more on my own, and I need gainful employment. I wasn't able to bring anything with me in the haste of my departure, so I can't afford to be particular." She nodded to her beverage. "I managed to con this from the bartender."

Seton chuckled. "Same old Vala. I believe you are like a kay'tah; you always land on your feet." He leaned forward. "I might have an opportunity for you myself, actually."

"I'm listening."

"You remember Elymas?"

Vala rolled her eyes. "Of course. I married the idiot, didn't I?"

"I had forgotten that," Seton admitted. "That was the Kaldoran job, wasn't it?"

"Yes, and he almost blew it. Which was why we had to get married," Vala grumbled. "He always was stupid. However, since my funds are currently nonexistent, I'm still listening."

Seton chuckled at that. "Lucky for Elymas then. You are perfect for what he has in mind, and you know he pays well when he's successful. He just isn't often successful due to his innate ability to muck up his own plans." He eyed her. "He had the highest success rate with you. He'll be pleased to have you on his team again."

"That's because I was forever saving his stupid ass when his bumbling cost him," Vala said with a scowl. "However, he _is_ rather generous, so what does he have going this time?"

"You know the Alliance is currently gathering all the Ancient tech they can find?" At Vala's nod, Seton continued, "Elymas has discovered a repository of sorts, filled with all kinds of Ancient artifacts and devices. He intends to sell it off to them a little at a time, so they won't realize it's one huge stash. He's managed to smuggle out one or two pieces on his own, but you know him—he's just barely managed it. He needs help."

Vala nodded thoughtfully. "All right. Still listening. Where is this storehouse, what sort of security is present, and what methods has Elymas been using thus far?"

Seton rolled his eyes. "Vala, this is Elymas we're talking about. He's not known for well-thought-out schemes. He's basically just grabbing and running, which is why he's nearly gotten caught already. He needs someone to flesh out an actual plan and then make it work in spite of him."

"Well, I've definitely had experience with that." Vala took a sip of her drink and looked sideways at Seton. "Why haven't you volunteered? Like you say, Elymas is generous. What's the catch here?"

Seton sighed. "As quick as ever, aren't you? The storehouse does have rather advanced security—beyond my expertise and very nearly beyond Elymas'. I don't think it's beyond yours though. Also, the planet is rich with kassa, so it's crawling with Alliance smugglers. It's actually quite shocking that no one's come across this stuff before now. It's tricky getting in and out undetected, which is where Elymas is having trouble. You, however, are good at either making yourself completely invisible or alternately creating such a distraction that no one really cares what you're doing."

Vala chuckled at that. "Oh, I've missed that. The Tau'ri are such _prudes_. You would not believe."

"I was surprised you stayed with them so long," Seton admitted. "They don't seem like your type, Vala."

Vala stared into her glass. "I suppose they weren't. I thought they could be, but in the end..." She shook herself and downed the rest of the liquid. "I don't suppose you'd buy me another, dear?"

Seton's eyes narrowed a bit, and Vala quickly realized her error. In her old pirate days, "darling" had always been her pet name of choice. She'd never used any other, whether for Seton or Elymas or a random mark. It was why she'd used it so casually with Daniel at first.

Somewhere along the way, though, she'd starting _meaning_ it with Daniel, and now she couldn't bring herself to use it for anyone else. But of course Seton would notice.

Thankfully, he didn't question the change, simply stood up and headed to the bar. She breathed a quick sigh of relief and vowed to be more careful.

Seton returned with another drink. Vala decided she must be getting used to the taste; the second one wasn't nearly so bad. She drained the glass quickly. "All right. How do I get in touch with Elymas?"

"I'll take care of that," Seton assured her. "I can have him here tomorrow to discuss terms with you. We'll have you back in the game, and lucratively so, in no time; don't worry." His voice dropped seductively. "I assume you have no place to stay, given your lack of funds?"

Vala swallowed. It would help her cover immensely if she said no and went home with Seton. It was what he expected. And he had shared her bed on numerous occasions back in the day. He was actually one of her better lovers, truth be known. He would expect to share her bed again if she went with him. And that would certainly cement the truth of her story in his mind.

But she couldn't do it. She could play the part well, but she really wasn't that same person anymore. And Seton wasn't Arlos; she couldn't trick him into thinking she'd slept with him when she hadn't. So she flashed her best, brightest smile and forced herself to use the term of endearment that now belonged solely to Daniel. "Ooh, darling, if only I'd bumped into you sooner. Would have saved me _so_ much trouble. Unfortunately, I did manage to procure a room for the evening already." She shoved down her inner loathing and pressed herself against him, looking up at him through her lashes. "Tomorrow? I was only able to get one night's lodging."

Seton ran a hand up and down her back. "Mm, tomorrow, definitely, and any other night of your choosing; you know that," he murmured. He gave a low, dirty chuckle. "I always did enjoy making Elymas jealous, you know."

She did know. It made her feel all the dirtier, but for Seton sex had been nothing but a power play. He knew all the right moves to make her enjoy it, but it had never really been about her.

Saying good night to Seton, Vala left the bar. She knew Major Styles and Lieutenant Franklin would wait awhile to follow, so as not to raise suspicion. She made her way through the streets of the town and finally managed to find a deserted alley. Once she made absolutely sure she was alone and unobserved, she took out her communicator. "All right, Samantha. I'm ready."

A bright flash of light, and she was back on the _Hammond_. Closing her eyes, she almost sagged with relief.

"Vala?" Instantly Daniel was there, his arm going around her in support.

She forced a smile and touched his cheek. "Daniel. I'm fine. Truly."

"So what's the dirt?" Cam asked. "Were you able to sell yourself as a freelancer?"

"Was I ever," Vala replied. "I ran into an old contact. He's got a job for me with a mutual friend. It's smuggling Ancient tech out of some sort of storehouse this friend has discovered." She smiled, a genuine one this time. "I'm hoping to be able to hand off the lesser pieces to him and save the really good stuff for us. I can get my foot back in the door with the Alliance and help Earth at the same time."

"And you're sure this guy bought it? He's not setting you up?" Cam pressed.

"Pretty certain," Vala said. "I did slip once, but it was very minor." She grimaced. "I might run into a few problems tomorrow, but I'm working on a plan."

"What do you mean?" Daniel glowered. She didn't answer right away. "Vala?"

She sighed. "If Seton brings Elymas to the meeting tomorrow like he promised, it won't be an issue. Elymas will simply pull rank and insist that since he's bankrolling this operation, I'm staying with him." She avoided Daniel's gaze. "And he won't expect anything. He knows better. If he doesn't make it though..."

"This Seton guy will expect you to stay with him," Cam surmised. "And he _will_ expect something, right?"

"_What?_ Vala, no, absolutely not," Daniel said immediately.

Vala rolled her eyes. "I said I was working on a plan, Daniel. Seton promised Elymas would be there tomorrow, which solves everything quite nicely. But if he isn't, I'll figure something out." She chewed her lip.

"What else are you worried about, Vala?" Sam asked softly.

Vala sighed again. "Seton and Elymas both are only on the very outskirts of the Alliance. They do business with them, but they don't know any of the real goings-on. This job establishes my credibility at being back in the game, but it doesn't bring us any closer to any real intel."

"It will take time, Vala Mal Doran. You must be patient," Teal'c said.

"But how much time? The longer it takes, the less likely it is the SGC will take any of you back."

"You mean any of _us_," Daniel corrected her. "No one's planning on going back without you, Vala."

She protested, "But you could! Cameron and Teal'c could go back and act like they'd just been hanging out with the Jaffa all this time. At this point, no one knows Samantha is even in on this. And Daniel, you could just say I kidnapped you or something. They'd probably believe that."

"Doesn't matter," he said firmly. "We're not going back without you."

"Yeah, what he said," Cam agreed. "Vala, we've had this discussion before. We're a team. And we take risks for you just like you do for us. It goes both ways, princess. You might as well get used to it."

She gave him a tremulous smile, her eyes watery. "You are all amazing. I know I've never said it, but thank you."

Sam hugged her. "You're welcome. Always. Now, I'm going back to work on tracing that signal. You work out your back-up plan for tomorrow. Get some rest." She wrinkled her nose. "And uh, maybe a bite to eat? Whew, that is some _strong_ booze, Vala!"

Vala giggled. "Nasty stuff, too. Yes, a bit of food to clear the taste from my mouth sounds lovely." She looked at Daniel. "Care to join me?"

He smiled softly. "I'd love to. Let's go. We'll figure out that back-up plan together."


	5. Chapter 4

Very short chapter—but an important one...

**Chapter Four**

Vala crept through the shadowy tunnels to the repository Elymas had discovered. She had wondered how such a treasure-trove could remain hidden on a kassa-rich world crawling with the Alliance. However, this stash was well-hidden. It was far off the beaten path, it appeared to have been abandoned for years, and the passageways leading to it were apparently only accessible now because of a recent seismic event on the planet.

Really, only Elymas and his stupid blind luck could have ever found this.

She'd be lucky if she ever found her way back out. The tunnels meandered almost aimlessly. Still, she pressed on.

Finally she reached the sealed-off room that should hold the Ancient treasure. She crouched to examine the lock that forbade entry to the goods. She recognized some of the writings thanks to her time spent with Daniel. It appeared to be one of those Ancient riddles that had been so prevalent at Avalon.

So this was what scared Seton off. Not a fancy, high-tech security system, but Ancient thought puzzles. Figured.

Unfortunately, she wasn't fluent in Ancient like Daniel, so it took a few minutes of studying to decipher what was written. Elymas actually would have proven useful for this part, she mused. But after a few minutes she thought she had the gist of the question. "You have a jar that is one urna in size," she murmured. "How many dupondia can you put in the empty jar?"

She sat back on her heels to ponder. She racked her brain for what Daniel had taught her about Alterran measurements and currency, but not much was coming to mind. She wished again for Elymas, who had always been a fountain of trivia about the gate builders. It was he who had helped her find that map to Avalon. She scowled at the closed entryway with its ridiculous riddle.

Suddenly she snapped her fingers. "One!" she exclaimed. "You can only put one coin in the empty jar; after that it isn't empty any longer!"

Examining the device keeping the entrance shut once more, she discovered how to enter her answer. Upon doing so, the door slid open, revealing a room crammed full of various devices. She wandered in. "Ba'al be damned," she whispered in awe as she took in the vast array of items. "If only I could have Samantha beam Daniel in here. He'd _love_ this."

But Sam and the _Hammond_ were still cloaked above the planet Landar, where Vala had met with Seton and Elymas. She had gated here to Tydel. She had to smuggle as many of these items out as possible then head back to the bar on Landar.

"Best get on with it," she muttered. She managed to stuff a couple of smaller items in her bustier then began filling the inner compartments of her duffel bag. Finally convinced that she had as much as she could take this round without rousing suspicion, she headed back out.

Vala had hoped she could rig the door to stay open somehow so she didn't have to face another riddle when she returned. Luck wasn't on her side, however, for the door automatically shut and locked itself once she left the room. Grumbling, she began the trek back through the tunnels. Too bad she had to stay with Elymas now to keep her cover up; she could use a crash course on Ancient language and thought from Daniel tonight.

Reaching the end of the tunnel system, Vala crept back out into the warm sunlight of Tydel. She began striding toward the nearby town—and the gate.

At the outskirts of the village, Vala paused to catch her breath. Then she straightened her shoulders and sauntered into the village, acting like she hadn't a care in the world. She managed a few seductive smirks and flirtatious finger-waves along the way. She had very nearly reached the gate when she heard a voice call her name. "Vala."

She stiffened. _Surely it couldn't be!_ But as she turned to face him, she knew it was. She inclined her head. "Mahlon."

He walked toward her at a slow, measured pace, his eyes studying her intently. "I must admit, I never thought to see you here."

"Why?" she retorted. "Because you expected me to be in a Tau'ri prison after your betrayal?"

"You're a fine one to speak of betrayal, Vala Mal Doran. Did you think I would forget how you betrayed my entire family?"

"You do seem to have forgotten some important details," she snapped. "Jacek betrayed your family, not I. Qetesh finished you off, but that wasn't me either."

Mahlon rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, 'nothing of the host remains' and all that rot. We both know that isn't the truth. You stand before me as evidence that it's nothing but a Goa'uld lie."

"I had _no _control over anything Qestesh did or said," Vala insisted. "She singled out you and your family because she delighted in causing me pain. As for Jacek...well, that wasn't anything personal. He just saw an opportunity and grabbed it. It's what he does. I can't help who my father is any more than I could help being host to a Goa'uld!"

"Save it," Mahlon grumbled. "I happen to know there is quite the bounty on your head. I had thought having your new friends believing you a traitor and either imprisoning you or executing you would avenge my family's honor. It appears that handing you over to the leaders of the Alliance will do so instead." He leveled his weapon at her.

More than ever, Vala wished she had Sam on standby to beam her out. That would come in handy about now. But Vala Mal Doran remained no one's prisoner for long. She would somehow escape Mahlon and his Alliance cohorts. She just had to be patient and wait for her chance.

Mahlon dragged her through the village square heading to the gate. He shoved her toward the dialing device and barked coordinates for her to dial as he kept his weapon pointed straight at her head. Obediently, she went to work.

The only thing Vala managed to do as Mahlon pulled her through the wormhole was drop her bag and leave it lying on the gate platform.


	6. Chapter 5

See Prologue for notes and disclaimers

**Chapter Five**

Daniel paced the bridge of the _Hammond_. Vala should have checked in by now. She had promised to find a safe spot to comm as soon as she returned from her job off-world. She had managed to contact them the night before to tell them that Elymas had indeed shown up, that she was staying with him and perfectly safe, and that she would be gating to Tydel to do the first part of her job the next day.

The job should have been done by now. Daniel was certain of it. Why hadn't she been in touch?

"You know, you're not helping my concentration any," Sam's voice interrupted his thoughts.

He grimaced. "Sorry." He expelled a noisy breath. "Just worried about her. I don't like her being on her own like this, with no real back up."

"None of us do," Sam agreed, coming over to stand next to him. "If there were any other option, you know we would've taken it. But there isn't. We have to track down this leak. I'm not any closer to finding that communication signal than when we started. Right now, Vala getting back in the good graces of the lower-level Alliance is our best shot. She might overhear something useful."

"Don't you think she should have checked in by now?" Daniel worried.

Sam shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. We really don't know how long it's going to take her to break into that storehouse. And we don't know how long it will take her to make her way back to Landar. And _then_ she has to find a safe place to contact us, or her cover's blown. All that takes time, Daniel."

"I know, I know," he grumbled. "I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing. Something doesn't feel right."

Sam tilted her head thoughtfully. "I can scan to see if Vala is at least back on Landar; how's that?"

He smiled in relief. "A start. Thanks, Sam."

"No problem." She headed over to the controls. A few minutes later, she bit her lip. "Daniel, you're not gonna like this."

Daniel removed his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. "She's not there, is she?"

"No," Sam answered quietly. "But that doesn't mean it's time to start panicking, Daniel. Vala's a big girl, and she's been taking care of herself for years. Have a little faith in her."

"I do," he insisted. "Hell, Sam, I know she's no damsel in distress, needing us to swoop in and save her. I just...I can't explain it, but something's _wrong."_

"Okay," Sam said simply. "Then I'll send Styles and Franklin down again. They're becoming familiar faces in that bar; maybe they'll be able to find out something."

"Thanks, Sam," Daniel said again. He hesitated, then added. "I gotta tell you something, though. If they don't learn anything and she doesn't check in soon, I'm going to look for her myself."

Sam sighed. "I'm not surprised, and I can't even say that I blame you. But Daniel, _how_ do you plan to do that? You're not doing her any good if you get nabbed by the Alliance!"

"I know that. But I can't sit here and do nothing either. Maybe if I can find this Elymas or Seton, I can at least learn where she went and start trying to follow her trail."

"We'll discuss options if it comes to that," Sam said firmly. "For now, let's give Franklin and Styles a chance, okay?"

"Okay," Daniel agreed reluctantly. "Keep me posted."

"Will do." Sam pressed a button. "Major Styles and Lieutenant Franklin, please report to the bridge immediately." She glanced at Daniel. "Why don't you go eat or something? Or at least do your pacing somewhere else? I promise to let you know if I learn anything."

Daniel didn't really want to leave the bridge, but he knew he was interfering with Sam's work so he acquiesced. "Fine. Talk to you later."

She patted his arm. "It'll be all right. We'll figure something out."

"Yeah," Daniel muttered as he walked away. "We will."

By late evening, with no word from Vala and no sign of her on Landar, _everyone_ was getting jittery. Styles and Franklin had sat in the bar for hours, playing card games and listening to local gossip. They noted that Seton and Elymas were there, seemingly waiting, but a certain space pirate never showed.

So disguising themselves as best as they could, Daniel, Cam, and Teal'c beamed down to Landar. Cam and Teal'c headed to the bar, trying to play subtle. Daniel, however, was in no mood to waste time on subtle. He strode straight over to the table where Seton and Elymas still sat, both of them looking decidedly uneasy. "Where did she go?" he demanded without preamble.

Okay, so that should probably go on the list of dumber things he'd done in his life. Funny how blind panic affected a person's brain cells.

Both men looked startled, then Seton's eyes narrowed. "Vala wasn't on the level then? She's pulling some sort of con for the Tau'ri? I should have guessed. You Tau'ri are quite foolish to put her at risk like this. The Alliance will never fall for it."

"The Tau'ri did no such thing," Daniel retorted. "Everything Vala told you about being falsely accused and imprisoned was true. Someone within the Alliance set her up, with the help of some unknown Tau'ri. We're trying to find out who so we can clear her name. Now. _Where did she go_?" He ground out the last sentence.

Elymas studied him thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded slowly. "She went to Tydel. I discovered a stash of Ancient devices there. Although she may have run into some trouble with the security, I don't believe it would have taken her this long."

"All right, so what's the address for Tydel?" Daniel asked impatiently.

Elymas shook his head. "You're not the only one who cares for Vala, Tau'ri. I'll take you there myself. Let's go."

Daniel grumbled but didn't have time to argue. "Fine. Let's move." He signaled Mitchell and Teal'c.

Seton crossed his arms over his chest. "Have fun. I have no interest in risking my neck for that lying space whore."

Mitchell and Teal'c arrived just in time to hear Seton's insult. Daniel's fists clenched, but Teal'c reacted faster. The Jaffa grabbed Seton by the back of the neck. Seton gasped as Teal'c squeezed. Teal'c then bent down to intone darkly, "I would advise you not to insult Vala Mal Doran again." Seton nodded jerkily, and Teal'c released him. Glaring at them, Seton stalked off.

Elymas shook his head. "Seton always was blinded by his own selfishness. I doubt he would have been much use to us anyway. Let's go." He smiled slightly. "I'll enjoy being able to save Vala for once. Usually it's the other way around."

"Oh?" Daniel couldn't contain his curiosity.

Elymas shrugged as they walked toward the Stargate. "I have a long and somewhat complicated past with Vala. I doubt you'd be interested in the details, Tau'ri."

"Why don't you call me Daniel," the archeologist suggested. He knew he should have given some sort of false name, but he thought he might just be able to trust this man.

"Daniel," Elymas murmured. He eyed the Tau'ri male in a new light. "You are the one for whom Vala stole that Ancient treasure map."

"You know about that?" Cam blurted in surprise.

"Of course. I helped her track it down. Studying the gate builders is something of a hobby of mine, and information about them has often proven useful in my line of work. Especially recently, as the Alliance has become more interested in the gate builders' technology. I have turned quite a profit with my knowledge." They reached the gate, and Elymas began dialing.

As soon as they stepped through the gate, Elymas noticed Vala's abandoned bag. "Oh, no." He picked it up and peeked inside. "She was successful at the storehouse. The hidden pockets are quite full. If she had to leave it behind, then something's happened."

Daniel took a moment to glance inside the bag as well. "Holy..." His voice trailed off, leaving the epithet unfinished. "That must be quite the storehouse, Elymas."

"You can only imagine," Elymas replied. "This is but a tiny sampling. It was going to take us several trips to smuggle it all out." He hefted the bag up on his shoulder.

"Let's poke around the village a bit," Cam suggested. "Maybe someone saw something."

Although it had been nearing nightfall on Landar, Tydel was still in its mid-afternoon. There were plenty of villagers to question. Unfortunately, none of them were very forthcoming.

They were just about to regroup and try to come up with an alternate plan when they finally hit pay dirt. An elderly lady listened to their description of Vala and nodded. "Yes, I saw just such a woman very early this morning. She was dragged through the Chappa'ai by one of the Alliance." The woman shook her head sadly. "She did not wish to go; the man had her at weaponpoint. But we have learned over the years to look the other way on many such things."

"Of course you have," Daniel sympathized. "Do you know anything about the man who took her? A name? A description? Anything that might help us figure out where he took her?"

The woman pursed her lips. "I believe he is the one they call Mahlon," she finally offered.

Elymas turned white. Daniel felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Mitchell and Teal'c exchanged uneasy glances.

"Thank you," Daniel managed to get out. "We appreciate your help more than we can say." They left and made their way back to the gate.

"This is very bad indeed," Elymas said. "Mahlon holds quite the grudge against Vala."

"Yeah, we sort of figured that, since he's one of the ones who set her up," Cam grumbled. "What we don't know is _why." _

Elymas sighed. "You know that Mahlon was engaged to Vala many years ago, on her home planet of Eglan?"

"We knew she had a fiance, yes," Daniel confirmed.

"They were betrothed as children, as is custom on her world. After the death of Vala's mother, she stayed with Mahlon's family, the Bon Fedaks, for some time. They were all very close. Then Vala's father returned."

"Aw, hell," Cam groaned. "That's never good."

A small smile flickered across Elymas's face. "You have met the illustrious Jacek, I presume?"

"Been there, done that, did _not_ want the t-shirt," Cameron confirmed.

"You Tau'ri are so strange," Elymas mumbled, then continued his story. "By this point, Vala had been living with her stepmother for quite awhile. As I understand it, her father was not around much. Most of those living in that town knew what Jacek was like, knew not to trust him. But the Bon Fedaks were convinced that Jacek would not swindle them, on account of the betrothal agreement."

"But he did," Daniel guessed.

"He did," Elymas agreed. "Cost them a great deal of money and even more of their pride. He caused them to look quite foolish, actually. Then Qetesh arrived, and Vala was taken as host. To spite Vala, Qetesh ransacked what was left of the Bon Fedak estate and enslaved Mahlon's parents. Mahlon was somehow able to escape. When Vala returned there briefly after being freed, she learned quite quickly that Mahlon had not forgiven her, and he incited the rest of her little town against her as well."

"They tried to stone her," Daniel remembered, wincing as he recalled that night in his quarters so long ago.

"Yes," Elymas confirmed. "You know more of Vala's past than I would have expected, Daniel. Vala must trust you very much."

"She's been one of us for awhile now," Cam said. They had reached the gate by now. "Mind telling us how you fit into our girl's life?"

Elymas nodded as he began dialing back to Landar. "Of course. I met Vala shortly after the Tok'ra freed her. She was penniless and alone and a bit desperate. I excel at _finding_ useful treasure and information; I do _not_ excel at procuring it. We made quite the team for awhile. I would discover the location of a particular item and find the buyer. Vala smuggled it out."

"You turned her into a thief," Daniel accused.

Elymas rolled his eyes. "Most of these items didn't actually belong to anyone, so I fail to see how we were stealing them, Daniel. When someone could claim ownership, it was usually a Goa'uld or Jaffa, and Vala took great pleasure stealing from them. And we had to survive _somehow_." He glared. "Sometimes I think you self-righteous Tau'ri have _no_ idea how things work in this galaxy."

Vala had said something similar to him on numerous occasions, Daniel knew. Maybe it _was _time to quit judging her by his own playbook. At any rate, it mattered little now.

"We can debate ethics and morality, or we can try to find Vala," Cam said, scowling at both of them. "I vote for the latter."

"As do I," concurred Teal'c.

"Right," Daniel said. "Sorry." He looked at Elymas. "Do you have _any_ idea where Mahlon would have taken Vala?"

"To the one who would pay him the most for her," Elymas answered simply. "Currently, I believe that to be Rheza. She has moved up the ranks quickly in the Alliance. She has quite a bit of currency at her disposal and would see capturing a member of the elusive SG-1 as quite the accomplishment. Especially if she thought she could use Vala as bait to get the rest of you. It would catapult her to the top of the command chain."

"_Would _she try to use Vala as bait?" Daniel worried. "Or would she assume that wouldn't work since Vala's been labeled a traitor? She might just kill her instead."

Cam shook his head. "Jackson, if she's one of the higher-ups in the Alliance ranks, she'd know the truth behind the set-up. Vala might try to spin it that we abandoned her when things went south, but I kinda doubt Rheza would buy it. Not if she knows anything about us at all."

"The Tau'ri _are _known for their loyalty," Elymas agreed. "Vala is a practiced liar, but Rheza would not be easily convinced."

"How do we find this Rheza?" Teal'c inquired.

"I do not know how Mahlon will contact her nor where he would meet her," Elymas admitted. "But her ship is a modified Ha'tak called the _Netan."_

"The _Netan_, huh?" Cam sounded amused. "I didn't know the Alliance was into sentiment."

Elymas shrugged. "I do not think she mourns his death; she is too power-hungry to take his place. But Rheza and Netan were quite...close at one time."

"So we need a way to find this ship," Daniel mused. "Damn, why can't anything ever be easy?"

"Now where would be the fun in that, Jackson?" Cam joked. His expression became serious when Daniel's eyes turned sharply to him. "Look, you know I want our girl back safe and sound as much as you do. Let's get back to the _Hammond _and see what we can hash out, okay?"

"May I come with you?" Elymas requested. "I too care about Vala and would like to help. Perhaps some of my knowledge of the Alliance will prove useful."

Daniel nodded in agreement and radioed Sam, informing her of the extra passenger. Teal'c clamped a hand down on Elymas's shoulder as the white light surrounded them.

Mitchell was wrong, Daniel mused as they were transported back to the bridge. _No one _wanted Vala back safe and sound more than he did. And he'd do anything to make sure it happened.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The mood among those gathered around the briefing table was grim. With no idea where Vala had gone and no way of finding Rheza's ship, options were limited.

Elymas pursed his lips. "I have an idea," he finally offered. "It's risky, and you'll have to trust me. But it might at least get us aboard Rheza's ship. If Vala is on board, we can take it from there. If she isn't though..."

"We're screwed," Cam summed it up.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

Sam sighed. "Crappy odds, but I really don't see many other options. If Rheza is the most likely one for Mahlon to approach, then we'll have to take the chance. What's your plan, Elymas?"

"Since we can't find her, we must get Rheza to reveal herself to us," Elymas said. "I am a freelancer who often sells items or information to the Alliance. I have contacts. If I let those contacts know that I have three members of the infamous SG-1 and wish to collect the bounty, they will put me in touch with Rheza. She'll give me the coordinates to a planet near her ship so that I can ring aboard."

"And once on board we find Vala and bust her out," Cam guessed. "Then ring back to the planet and hightail it outta there."

"Exactly." Elymas nodded.

Sam tapped her mouth thoughtfully. "It's not bad," she admitted. "Ideally, I'd want to be close enough to Rheza's ship to just beam you straight here. However, it's a big galaxy and the odds of that are nil. This is probably the best we can do. It _is_ risky though. Getting off an Alliance ship isn't going to be easy. And we don't know what shape we'll find Vala in—if she's even on this ship at all."

The mood darkened even further. The thought of going to all the trouble of getting aboard an Alliance vessel only to have Vala not be there was a sobering one.

"I will make sure my contacts know I want to sell to the highest bidder," Elymas promised. "I am certain that is what Mahlon would have done. Hopefully that highest bidder will be the same for both of us. I do believe it will be Rheza, but if not this should get us to whomever the right one is."

"Sounds good," Daniel agreed. He looked at Sam. "We'll radio coordinates to you as soon as we have them, even though they aren't likely to do you much good."

"Thanks." Sam nodded tightly. "I wish I could go with you, but I'll stay here. I'll keep a team on standby and keep working on tracking that communication link." She grinned. "Unless of course you end up being relatively close by. Then I'll hightail it over to you and beam you all outta there."

"If only it could be that easy," Cam said. "Hell, it's about time we had that kind of luck, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I'm not holding my breath on that one." Daniel sighed heavily. "All right. Let's do this." _Hang in there, Vala. We're coming._

Sam beamed Elymas back down to Landar so he could begin to put the word out on the bounty he wanted to collect. She looked at her former teammates. "Can we trust him?" she asked quietly. "I mean, this could be an elaborate ruse to get you to essentially turn yourselves in to the Alliance, and he gets a big payday."

"I thought of that," Daniel admitted. "But I get the feeling he really does care for Vala. I think he's on the level."

"Me too," Cam agreed. "He and Vala obviously have a long history. I know she didn't have much in the way of real friends when she was in the smuggling game, but this guy seems legit."

"I concur," put in Teal'c. "I believe Elymas to be honorable where Vala Mal Doran is concerned."

"All right then," Sam said. "We'll go for it. Just stay alert in case he turns on you."

A few hours later, Elymas made contact using the comm Sam had given him. "We're ready," he declared. "I have a Chappa'ai address where we can meet Rheza's men, and they will ring us aboard her vessel."

"Then let's do this," Cam said grimly. "Beam us down, Sam."

"Good luck, guys," Sam said quietly as the bright flash surrounded them. "Come home safe, and bring her with you." She watched them disappear and took a deep breath. She loved her command; she really did. But she still wasn't used to sending people off to take the big risks without her. When it was her former teammates, with whom she'd been to hell and back numerous times, it was even harder.

But it couldn't be helped. She had a job to do, just like they did. She might as well go back to doing it.

The rings disengaged, and Elymas, Daniel, Cam, and Teal'c found themselves aboard the _Netan_. A striking brunette sauntered over to them. "Well, well, well, Elymas, I _am_ impressed," she almost purred. "Thanks to you, I nearly have a complete set. All that remains is the irritating blonde. You will be well-compensated for this, I assure you."

Daniel tried to hide his relief at her words. _Nearly a complete set. All she needs is Sam. That means Vala _is_ here!_

"Thank you," Elymas said, his voice devoid of any trace of emotion. "I asked for the highest bidder. I am glad you will not disappoint."

"No, no, I never disappoint, Elymas. I always pay generously for services rendered." Rheza inclined her head. "As do you, from what I hear."

"Yes," Elymas agreed. "I find that one gets a higher caliber of employee when one pays accordingly. Greater loyalty as well."

Rheza nodded. "Allow me to escort the prisoners to their cell, then I will make sure you receive your reward."

Rheza's men had already searched SG-1 for weapons and tools down on the planet, so they began shoving them toward the holding cells. No one noticed when Elymas pressed a small device into Daniel's palm. He quickly stuffed it in his pocket.

They were thrown into a cell where Vala sat in the corner, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her eyes widened. "What in the galaxy are you all doing here? Not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but..."

"Shh," Daniel whispered. He pressed his lips to her hair, then murmured in her ear, "We kind of turned ourselves in. Once the guards are out of sight, I'll give you this gizmo Elymas gave me; I'm betting you'll know what to do with it."

"_Elymas_ is here?" Vala looked stunned.

"Couldn't have done it without him, princess," Cam said softly. "I think you found yourself a good one there."

She shook her head slowly. "I...I had no idea. I never dreamed he would put himself out for me like this."

"He appears quite loyal," Teal'c said. "He also seems to believe he owes you, Vala Mal Doran."

She shrugged. "I suppose that's true. I saved his ass quite a few times when we worked together. He had a habit of getting himself into trouble." She turned to Daniel. "All right, let's see this gadget of yours, darling."

Daniel handed it over. Vala examined it briefly, then nodded. "I recognize this. We used it on Talaria to break Caius out." She headed for the cell door.

A few moments later they were creeping surreptitiously through the corridors of the _Netan_. They had to knock out a couple of guards along the way—Daniel wondered if he would ever stop being impressed by how easily and efficiently Vala and Teal'c could do that—then finally they came to a stop just outside the room where the ring platform was. Elymas was there, accepting his payment. Rheza then left through the other exit. They entered the room. "Let's do this quickly," Elymas urged. "We're not going to have much time."

Vala nodded and headed toward the controls. Ringing to the planet below, they ran to the gate and began dialing. "No need to be picky," Vala said. "'Anywhere but here' works just fine."

At the next planet, they dialed Landar. Cam immediately grabbed the comm from Elymas. "Gang's all here, Sam. Beam us out ASAP."

Moments later they were back on the bridge of the _Hammond._ Sam rushed forward to hug Vala, then the rest of them in turn. "Thank God. That went much faster than I ever would have imagined."

"It may be the only time one of our plans went off without a hitch," Cam agreed. "I think Elymas here might just be a good luck charm."

Sam laughed. "Well, then, maybe we should keep him." She turned back to Vala. "Are you all right?"

Vala smiled weakly and nodded. "I'm fine, Samantha. Nothing that won't heal in a few days. _And_ I managed to get some useful information, so how does that expression go? All's fine if the ending is fine?"

"'All's well that ends well'," Daniel quoted. "And we'll let the _Hammond_ physician check you out to be safe. What's the information?"

Vala looked smug. "I learned who our spies are—_and_ how they're getting the intel to the Alliance."

"You're kidding!" Sam looked at her eagerly. "Well, fill us in—I'm dying to hear how they've been masking that signal. I sure haven't had any luck figuring it out."

"No, you wouldn't," Vala agreed. "It's quite clever, really, and yet so obvious I'm amazed we didn't think of it before now. Mahlon somehow got his hands on a set of those Ancient communication stones."

Sam smacked her forehead. "Of course! All the spy has to do is plug the stone into our device when he's got information and take over Mahlon's body!"

"Exactly," Vala said. "Very nearly foolproof. They apparently had quite the operation set up. You know how General Landry said I was the only one who knew _all _the information that was leaked? Well, that's because we were right about there being more than one traitor. No one person needed to know everything—they all just passed along the bits they _did_ know."

"Huh," Cam mused. "So how did they get a hold of these people? And who are they? I mean, it was bad enough thinking we had one person at the SGC willing to sell us out. And now we've got a group of them?"

"Apparently the Alliance managed to contact and _buy _the loyalty of an aide in Jack's Washington office," Vala explained. "Sandy Wallace. She did a lot of the set up for them. She brought two janitors and an SF on board."

"Wow." Daniel shook his head in disbelief. "Hard to imagine they were able to do it so easily."

"Greed is a powerful motivator," Vala pointed out. "It's been said that everyone has a price. It's just a matter of finding it."

"True," Daniel conceded. "Doesn't mean it sits any better."

"I'll let Ja—er, General O'Neill know," Sam said, heading to the console. "He's gonna want to clean house right away. And then he can get to work on getting you all forgiven and welcomed back into the fold."

Vala chewed her lip anxiously at that last remark. Daniel touched her cheek. "Hey. It's going to be fine. Jack'll work it all out. Finding the real culprits proves your innocence, and the IOA will accept that, even if they don't particularly like it."

"I'm glad things will work out for you, Vala," Elymas told her. "I'm even more glad to see you with such loyal friends."

"You're a loyal friend too, Elymas," Vala said quietly. "Thank you for that."

He smiled. "I'm glad I got a chance to repay you somewhat for all you've done for me over the years." He looked to Daniel. "Perhaps Vala and I could show you the collection at the Ancient storehouse. I think you'd want to see it."

Vala rolled her eyes. "Yes, and _you_ can solve the riddle that opens the door this time, darling."

Daniel ignored her, his eyes lighting up at the thought of all those artifacts in one place. "I'd love that. Thanks, Elymas." He hesitated, then asked, "Would you be willing to sell some of them to the Tau'ri rather than the Alliance?"

"Yes, of course," Elymas agreed. "Truthfully, the Alliance has never been more than a paycheck to me. I feel no loyalty or obligation toward them. I would be willing to give the Tau'ri first refusal on any items I discover." He shrugged. "I'll have to keep a low profile anyway, after what we just pulled with Rheza. I'm sure she'll put a hefty price on my head."

Vala was back to chewing her lip again. "Could we offer him some sort of sanctuary or protection?" she whispered to Daniel. "He _did_ save me. And there is a _lot_ of Ancient treasure in that storehouse, darling. Surely we owe him that?"

"I'll try to work something out," Daniel promised, squeezing her hand. "We don't leave people behind, Vala; you know that."

She smiled, her eyes warm and trusting. "Yes," she agreed, "I think I do know that now."


	8. Epilogue

If you prefer your fics to stay gen, skip this epilogue. Nothin' but ship here. ;)

See Prologue for notes and disclaimers.

**Epilogue**

_About six months later_

Vala sat alone in Daniel's office, cataloging another batch of Ancient tech that Elymas had sent their way. She was so engrossed in her work that she didn't hear quiet footsteps enter the room. Daniel smiled, stopping for a moment just to watch her. If someone had told him several years ago that Vala would be sitting here, oblivious to the world while she worked, he would never have believed it. In fact, he probably would have died laughing, ascended, then descended only to die laughing all over again.

She finally looked up. "Daniel! When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago," he replied, going over to kiss her casually. Well, he'd meant to kiss her casually. Somehow casual never lasted long with Vala. He was still getting used to that. Not that he was complaining any.

He'd asked her out on a real date as soon as the mess with the IOA had been straightened out. The memory of her reaction still made him smile. Her entire face had lit up, and she'd flung herself at him. The kiss that followed wasn't like any first kiss Daniel had ever experienced. Of course, it technically wasn't their first kiss, but somehow he didn't think that really explained it.

They barely made it through the dinner before they were stumbling through the door of his apartment, devouring each other in a flurry of lips and tongue and teeth.

She'd been in his bed every night since, except for when they were off-world.

Now he finally managed to break away from her mouth. He was quite pleased with himself for that feat. The fact that he desperately needed oxygen had nothing whatsoever to do with it.

"I have good news," he told her.

"Oh? What's that?" She began trailing kisses along his neck. He knew he should stop her—they were at _work_, and this was beyond inappropriate—but he found himself tilting his head to give her better access. He tried to remember what he'd come in here to tell her.

"Ummm...Sam's got some leave coming up. She'll be here in a few days," he managed.

She stopped her ministrations and squealed, flinging her arms around his neck. "Daniel! That's wonderful! How much time does she have?"

He smiled. "Not sure exactly, but she said it was enough to help you with anything you needed. I think she wants to pull her weight as maid of honor while she's here."

Vala beamed. "I'll return the favor when it's her turn. I had no idea planning a wedding was such _fun_!"

"Yeah, well, just make sure this is the only one of _yours _that you plan," Daniel mock grumbled.

She giggled delightedly. "Of course. I'm not letting you get away, darling. I had to work entirely too hard to catch you in the first place."

He kissed her again and congratulated himself for keeping it to a light peck this time. "Yeah, well. Worth it in the end, I hope."

"Very much so," she agreed. She wound her arms around him more tightly. "Are we done for the day?"

Daniel found himself unable to resist one last kiss before he stepped back and took her hand. "Yeah. We're done. Let's go home. We can start planning the honeymoon."

END


End file.
